BEATRICE DALLE - DALLE DEFENDS JAILED HUSBAND

French actress BEATRICE DALLE leaped to the defence of her husband GUENAEL MEZIANI, who is currently on trial for rape, in court yesterday (13DEC05).

The BETTY BLUE star, 40, married Meziani, 31, at the Hermitage jail in Brest, Brittany, in January (05), after meeting him while co-starring in TETE D'OR (GOLDEN HEAD), produced inside a Breton prison.

Meziani is currently standing trial for rape, armed violence and false imprisonment. While he has admitted hitting a 29-year-old woman, he claims sex was consensual and denies holding her against her will for five days.

Speaking in court yesterday (13DEC05), Dalle said, "Before our marriage, he told me everything. I repeatedly made clear to him that what he had done was unacceptable.

"If I had any fears for my physical well-being, I would never have married him."

If Meziani is released following his trial, Dalle has promised to find him work in the film industry.